MHTC/CEO

Entrance Prince Court Hospital KL

Lobby Prince Court Hospital KL

Having covered a wide spectrum of services, the hospital is able to focus on the overall wellbeing of its patients to include gastroenterology, urology and neurology while nuclear medicine is being planned. like other hospitals, island Hospital was impacted when Malaysia closed its borders during the pandemic. During that phase, the hospital transitioned to a ‘new normal’ and used CoviD-19 as a catalyst for positive changes and patient improvements. while teleconsultation, medicine delivery and reaching out to patients were something new, it has become the norm that we will continue beyond the pandemic.

The hospital offers patients an airport minibus shuttle service. However, services aren’t limited to just transport as the hospital offers a holistic journey even before patients land in Penang. Patients have access to online consultation with medical and clinical teams as well as customer service to accommodate all their needs from the moment they arrive in Penang.

resort recuperation An important part of medical tourism is recuperation as patients seek resorts to rest in while recovering from treatments and post-operative procedures. while some patients choose to stay in hotels close to Penang’s city centre with its hospitals, other chose the beaches of Batu ferringhi. one of the well-established and finest resorts here is the lone Pine which opened in the 1940’s when a beachfront bungalow was converted to a family-owned hotel. Then, its near-deserted seaside location appealed to many expatriates working in Malaya. in the 1950s, the property was extended with two annex accommodation blocks while more rooms were added in 2010. However, there’s always a sense of space with just 90 rooms overlooking landscaped tropical gardens with whispering casaurinas lining the long beach its large rooms make the property more comfortable for longer stays and have proven ideal for guests recuperating from medical procedures. in a post CoviD-19 recovery, its ventilation system and seaside location ensures adequate distancing as will large balconies and individual airconditioning. The property also provides ease of access for wheelchair-bound patients. Another bonus is that the resort is located on a bus route for those who need to visit city-based hospitals and post-treatment specialists. francois sigrist, general Manager at the lone Pine

Physio pool Prince Court KL

Aerial view of Island Hospital Penang

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resort claims that: “once full vaccinations are completed the future will be bright as people are tired if not exhausted of the crisis and want to travel. i remain optimistic that the future will be good and business will boom when we pass this stage.” sigrist added that city hotels closer to hospitals are more favoured by medical tourists as they offer easier access for medical treatment but for post-treatment recuperation; the lone Pine is perfect. The hotelier is expecting a surge in travel and medical tourism for elective treatments, once things return to normal. Currently most medical tourists are from indonesia but sigrist says there is a market for Australians and Europeans due to Malaysia’s high standards and lower medical costs.

The swiss-born general Manager said: “lone Pine eagerly reopened after the pandemic but like most hotels, struggled to find new associates as most had found employment elsewhere.

Heritage Hospitality Alison fraser, the general Manager at the Eastern & oriental Hotel (E&o), a preferred hotel for many when they travel to Penang, believes domestic tourism will prosper in the immediate future. fraser appreciates that Penang has for some time given focus to medical tourism, due to its proximity to indonesia from where much of the demand comes. she added: “The E&o has in the past looked after guests who are here on outpatient treatment visits from neighbouring islands like langkawi, rather than long-term patients who are rehabilitating. some hotels, especially three-star properties have in the past focused on medical tourism as a main source of business for them.”

The E&o Hotel is situated in george Town and has easy access to private hospitals for those people who are visiting patients and are looking for a luxury experience. The hotel often accommodates long-stay clients by offering personalised service to cater to their needs. fraser believes that the hotel’s larger than normal suites easily enable an extra bed to be placed in each room for an additional guest.

The hotelier believes that Penang is well-geared for medical tourism as it has an abundance of superior medical facilities and a high quality of healthcare. for carers who are

travelling with patients there are many attractions for them to pass the time, a wide variety of great food to indulge in and many great hotels to stay in. The weather is good and moving around on public transport is very affordable.”

There is huge potential for medical tourism in Malaysia as it has excellent hospital facilities and an abundance of affordable and appropriate accommodation.